How to Choose The Boudoir Photographer For You | Eastern Iowa Body & Sex-Positive Boudoir Photographer
How to Choose Your Boudoir Photographer & What to Look For
Cedar Falls, Waterloo and Eastern Iowa Body & Sex-Positive Boudoir Photographer
When you finally decide that you are worthy of celebrating and spoiling yourself, deciding who to go to for your boudoir session can be daunting. It’s important to find a good fit- someone vibe with! Boudoir is such a personal and intimate experience, and if you’ve been struggling with your confidence, it can be just the thing to make it- or break it. Choosing someone without the experience necessary can be very damaging to your self-esteem and I always recommend making sure that you look at the photographers portfolio to make sure that they’ve shot all body types. There are so many more things to consider as well. Check out a complete list below!
Some of these questions may be irrelevant to you, or unimportant. That’s okay! Just skip over them and follow your heart! However, if you’re having issues finding a photographer, or are unsure how to even find one, keep reading to have a complete guide for your search.
The biggest most important questions to consider are:
Do you have a public or private portfolio I can view of your work?
Do you have experience shooting all body types/skin types? (Check their portfolio!)
How would you describe your editing style?
How long have you been shooting boudoir and why did you start?
Do you offer other session types or do you shoot boudoir exclusively?
Are you accepting of LGBTQ* clients? (Check their portfolio!)
Do you offer prints, digitals, or both?
What is included in your session fee? What do clients typically spend with you?
Do they have a public portfolio to showcase their work and experience? If they do not, why not? Boudoir is intimate, and while they may not be able to show every session they do, if they have no public portfolio, ask them the reason. Do they hide if from their non-boudoir work, or separate brands? If so, why?
Do they have all body types and skin types in their portfolio? Knowing how to pose every type of body and being body positive is one of the most important aspects of being a boudoir photographer. Boudoir can make or break confidence, and choosing someone without the experience of posing plus-size clients or non-white clients can be a gamble. Everyone has to start somewhere, so I always encourage photographers just starting out in boudoir to build a portfolio and gain experience before offering boudoir.
If you have the confidence to help a photographer grow, this may be the photographer for you! They could use someone confident and positive to help them grow their skills. However, if you struggle with body confidence, this may be a bigger gamble than you know. I have helped build many of my clients up after negative boudoir experiences, and it is hard to come back from experiencing that.
If you’re plus-size, and their work doesn’t have any plus size sessions it’s hard to know that the photographer is experienced at posing plus-size clients. It’s not the same thing, and it’s important to protect your confidence! A boudoir photographer should celebrate ALL body sizes, and know how to pose them as well.
Is their work consistent so you know the quality to expect? Is their pricing consistent with their work? In most situations, you get what you pay for. Quality work tends to come with a higher price tag because of the experience that person offers. Most of my clients spend an average of $1,500 (some spend less, some spend more), and they know that quality doesn’t come cheap.
What experience do they offer? Prints, prints + digital, or digital only? Is their experience an all inclusive experience where your prints and/or digitals are included in the price of the session, or do you purchase your session then your prints and/or digitals afterwards?
How long have they been doing boudoir and why did they start? Boudoir is passionate and intimate, and hiring someone who throws their heart and soul into their work is so important. There are many photographers who offer boudoir as well as other services, and being aware of what all they offer will give you an idea of how much they put into a specific service. For instance, a wedding photographer offering boudoir is a good option if you are a bride hiring them and is a wonderful bonding experience! On the other hand, if you are wanting a specific idea brought to life that requires more planning, someone who exclusively does boudoir may be more up your alley.
What’s the difference between offering boudoir and exclusively shooting boudoir?
Photographers who offer boudoir typically do a range of sessions from family, couples, weddings, etc, as well as boudoir. A photographer who does exclusively boudoir is more likely to have a studio just for that purpose, offer a boudoir styled client closet, and have in-depth boudoir posing knowledge for all body types and colors. While most photographers usually have a stylist on-call, this is important to check with before booking.
Do they feature LGBTQ* sessions, and celebrate diversity?
If this is important to you, make sure that their portfolio reflects that. If you are an ally, one of the best ways you can give to the LGBTQ* community is by supporting local LGBTQ* owned and/or supportive businesses. Where you spend your money matters, and personally if a photographer does not feature LGBTQ* sessions I would not hire you.
At the end of the day, you deserve to have a kickass self-love adventure, and whether you choose me or not, choose someone who fits your budget, reflects the priorities you have and shows all kinds of body and love. Boudoir and sex are normal and something to celebrate, and if a photographer is passionate about celebrating, their portfolio will reflect that!
I hope this blog helped you on your journey to finding the photographer for you! I know that I may not be a great fit for everyone, and at the end of the day love seeing people embracing their body as it is and celebrating it. I know that there’s so much more that goes into boudoir photography than pretty pictures, and I hope this guide helps many in their search for finding a boudoir photographer!
Here’s my answers to the questions above!
Do you have a public or private portfolio I can view of your work?
Yes! Check it out at HERE!
Do you have experience shooting all body types/skin types? (Check their portfolio!)
I do!
How would you describe your editing style?
Bold/Slightly Moody/Dramatic
How long have you been shooting boudoir and why did you start?
2.5 years. I started because a previous wedding client (I don’t shoot weddings anymore!) asked if I offered this. After shooting her session I fell in love with boudoir and immediately soaked up any and all knowledge I could! I believe that everyone deserves to see themselves as the work of art that they are.
Do you offer other session types or do you shoot boudoir exclusively?
I shoot boudoir exclusively! A couple of times a year I will shoot a portrait session for friends, family or past clients. I have been shooting boudoir exclusively for 2 years now!
Do you offer prints, digitals, or both?
I offer a tangible print experience. I focus on showing my clients that they are truly beautiful and epic, and they should see themselves in that way. We proudly offer top-of-the-line prints for our clients! Clients get a corresponding digital of any image they have in print.
What is included in your session fee? What do clients typically spend with you?
My session fees range from $200-$350, and prints start at $600 and go up to $2500. All of my sessions and print collections are able to be customized to fit my clients’ budget and needs. My clients spend $1500 on average! Some spend less, some spend more, but all walk away with luxury heirlooms to treasure forever. Many of my clients use paypal financing to pay for their prints and have loved the flexibility!
Are you accepting of LGBTQ* clients? (Check their portfolio!)
HELL yes! We love showing off all types of bodies and love. Check out our Trans Project HERE!